Travel industry leaders have given mixed responses about the new quarantine policy for all fliers who land in the UK, released by Home Secretary Priti Patel
According to the new rules, all passengers arriving in the UK will have to stay in quarantine for at least 14 days after landing within the country borders. These new rules however, exclude travellers arriving from the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
The statement received varied responses from different industry experts.
While ABTA has called for a review of the policy because of the financial impact of the quarantine, others have welcomed the regulation, seeing it as a long-term relief and recovery from the pandemic.
?It is crucial that the government reviews this policy, assesses its effectiveness, and how it works with other control measures. Another 14-day quarantine period for all travellers returning to the UK, will put off many people from travelling abroad, or visiting the UK. It will also have a damaging effect on the UK inbound, and outbound tourism industries, which support hundreds and thousands of jobs here, which have been severely affected by the pandemic,? said ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer.
Joss Croft, CEO of UKinbound agreed with ABTA?s response, saying, ?Imposing 14-day quarantine on international arrivals is another blow to the UK?s struggling tourism and hospitality industry, which is worth ?28bn per year. While the health and safety of customers and staff remains our first priority, we implore the government to explore all options available, such as air bridges and extensive testing, so that international tourists can return as soon and as safely as possible, to their respective countries. If the 14-day quarantine is implemented, our industry will need significant and extended support.?
But Steve Witt, co-founder of Not Just Travel, a company which works with 600 travel consultants clarified the long-term benefits of such measures.
?This may not be what the industry wants, but it is probably what it needs. Travellers and holidaymakers want to get away and hotels, airlines and tour operators need customers; but the worst thing we could all do, is attempt to come out of this too quick. That risks a second peak and another lockdown, which could cause a further and deeper financial crisis,? he says.
?Coming out of lockdown with controlled measures, means a systematic return to normality. The quarantine will allow for borders to open up, airports to put in place health and safety measures, and most importantly, the consumer confidence to soar,? he added.
Mr Witt speculates that 2021 will be a good year for travel, as many people will be keen to make up for the lack of holidays this year, adding that the consumer demand may rise too much for the industry to support.
Many industry stalwarts have already written an open letter to the government authorities, with 76 signatories including Geoffrey Kent, co-chairman of Abercrombie & Kent Group, Andrew Dunn,chairman of Scott Dunn, Tom Barber,co-founder & director of Original Travel, and Gemma Antrobus, managing director of Haslemere Travel, among others.
The letter asks the 14-day quarantine to be revoked immediately, stating that it will have a negative effect on the overall GDP of the country. Meanwhile, many travel agents are dealing with clients who have postponed their trips for later this year. Spain, Italy, Greece, Canada, the UAE, Australia and New Zealand are also implementing similar quarantine policies and customers will have to find out more about the country they are planning to visit, before finalising the itinerary of the trip.
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